HRD-88-31: Published: Oct 30, 1987. Publicly Released: Oct 30, 1987.

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In response to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the vesting status of individuals in top-heavy retirement plans in small businesses with fewer than 100 employees, to determine the likely effect of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 on their vesting status.

GAO found that of the 128 retirement plans it reviewed: (1) shorter-tenured workers would have been adversely affected by the changes in the Tax Reform Act of 1986; (2) these workers would have to work longer to achieve the same top-heavy vesting; and (3) the proportion of nonvested women in the plans would have increased from 16 to 29 percent, and nonvested men from 8 to 15 percent under the act's provisions.